Have you ever received any government handouts?

[peejay 327]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

[peejay 327]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

The bigger question is whether there will be any Medicaid or Social Security left when I qualify. In the mean time I work on the assumption that it won't be and plan my life accordingly. In other words...I feather my own nest with the fruits of my own labor realizing that to depend on oneself is far better than to solely put my fate in the hands of the government. Government ain't the answer...it's nothing but a big question.

Ever hear of the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper? I'm an ant...not a grasshopper.

As far as my car, life and health insurance...I voluntarily pay into it and expect it to be run in a competent manner so that it is there when needed. I have no qualms about filing a claim and that is not a handout. The government is not run on the same premise as the private sector. Government is incompetently run and contributions are hardly voluntary.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

The bigger question is whether there will be any Medicaid or Social Security left when I qualify. In the mean time I work on the assumption that it won't be and plan my life accordingly. In other words...I feather my own nest with the fruits of my own labor realizing that to depend on oneself is far better than to solely put my fate in the hands of the government. Government ain't the answer...it's nothing but a big question.

Ever hear of the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper? I'm an ant...not a grasshopper.

As far as my car, life and health insurance...I voluntarily pay into it and expect it to be run in a competent manner so that it is there when needed. I have no qualms about filing a claim and that is not a handout. The government is not run on the same premise as the private sector. Government is incompetently run and contributions are hardly voluntary.

If you're an ant, then why buy insurance of any kind, peejay?

Unemployment insurance works exactly the same way your medical or car insurance works...it's there when you need it. You can't call one a hand-out without logically calling the other the same.

[jundp 191]

Registered Democrat. I received Pell Grants to get through college and subsidized student loans to get through grad school. I also did a teaching fellowship in college which paid a stipend and was for a state uni so does that count?

When I was a single mom I received WIC for a year. I suppose I could have worked a third job, but as I was also in college full time and working two part time jobs, it didn't seem to work for me. I figured I was paying taxes and bettering myself so I didn't need to be ashamed that I had a baby to feed.

I chose none of the above for the second set of questions.

[mendeleev 68]

I'm Democrat and I receive a government hand-out. My dad died when I was 3 years old and my mom received survivors benefits on my behalf. She never remarried.

Pretty good thing, too.

[peejay 327]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

The bigger question is whether there will be any Medicaid or Social Security left when I qualify. In the mean time I work on the assumption that it won't be and plan my life accordingly. In other words...I feather my own nest with the fruits of my own labor realizing that to depend on oneself is far better than to solely put my fate in the hands of the government. Government ain't the answer...it's nothing but a big question.

Ever hear of the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper? I'm an ant...not a grasshopper.

As far as my car, life and health insurance...I voluntarily pay into it and expect it to be run in a competent manner so that it is there when needed. I have no qualms about filing a claim and that is not a handout. The government is not run on the same premise as the private sector. Government is incompetently run and contributions are hardly voluntary.

If you're an ant, then why buy insurance of any kind, peejay?

Unemployment insurance works exactly the same way your medical or car insurance works...it's there when you need it. You can't call one a hand-out without logically calling the other the same.

Ha! Are you naive or what?

Private insurers couldn't even start to get away with the incompetence of government programs. Any money you end up coughing up to Uncle Sugar is a tax anyway you slice it. In case you don't know the difference...one is a premium and the other is a tax. Uncle Sugar can call it what he wants, but when it goes into the treasury the politicians can use (misuse) it any way they see fit. Ever heard of all the IOU's in the Social Security fund? Look at the mess in Medicare/Medicaid.

Sure I insure my house. If you want to depend on FEMA...that is your foolish perogative. Crash your car into a tree and see if Uncle Sugar buys a new one for you. Piss away all your money all your life and see if Uncle Sugar takes real good care of you in old age with all the budget deficits we are running. Take care of your own business or take your chances. I take care of my own business as best as I can because I like to control my own destiny. Only a fool or an idiot depends on Uncle Sugar as their salvation in life.

Not to say that private insurers shouldn't be regulated, but I'll take a well regulated private insurer over government if and when possible.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

The bigger question is whether there will be any Medicaid or Social Security left when I qualify. In the mean time I work on the assumption that it won't be and plan my life accordingly. In other words...I feather my own nest with the fruits of my own labor realizing that to depend on oneself is far better than to solely put my fate in the hands of the government. Government ain't the answer...it's nothing but a big question.

Ever hear of the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper? I'm an ant...not a grasshopper.

As far as my car, life and health insurance...I voluntarily pay into it and expect it to be run in a competent manner so that it is there when needed. I have no qualms about filing a claim and that is not a handout. The government is not run on the same premise as the private sector. Government is incompetently run and contributions are hardly voluntary.

If you're an ant, then why buy insurance of any kind, peejay?

Unemployment insurance works exactly the same way your medical or car insurance works...it's there when you need it. You can't call one a hand-out without logically calling the other the same.

Ha! Are you naive or what?

Private insurers couldn't even start to get away with the incompetence of government programs. Any money you end up coughing up to Uncle Sugar is a tax anyway you slice it. In case you don't know the difference...one is a premium and the other is a tax. Uncle Sugar can call it what he wants, but when it goes into the treasury the politicians can use (misuse) it any way they see fit. Ever heard of all the IOU's in the Social Security fund? Look at the mess in Medicare/Medicaid.

Sure I insure my house. If you want to depend on FEMA...that is your foolish perogative. Crash your car into a tree and see if Uncle Sugar buys a new one for you. Piss away all your money all your life and see if Uncle Sugar takes real good care of you in old age with all the budget deficits we are running. Take care of your own business or take your chances. I take care of my own business as best as I can because I like to control my own destiny. Only a fool or an idiot depends on Uncle Sugar as their salvation in life.

Not to say that private insurers shouldn't be regulated, but I'll take a well regulated private insurer over government if and when possible.

It's the same concept, peejay. You can gripe all you want about government bureaucracy and of course we could bring up the bureaucracy of insurance companies as well, but that doesn't change the the fact that they both are built on the notion that the benefit is there when you need it, and both depend on a pool of people paying into it. One is no more or less a hand out than the other and you are no more or less a moocher if you use either source when you need it.

[bora bora 1]

No government handouts here.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Social secury and Unemployment can't really be counted as bailed out since you have already paid for that service just like taking an insurance.

I got Pell Grant and Strafford Loan when i went through college. Would that be considered a Bail out also?

Investment or Bail out.

High school Grad

Working for minimum wage, or maybe a little more. just for fact stakes let say $10/hr. How much taxes you have to pay to Federal and states. I'll take an arbitary number of 20% but mostly it's around 28%.

$400 week X 52= $20,800

Taxes = $4,160

College Grad ($30/hr)

$1200 week X 52 =$ 62,400

Taxes =$ 12,480

Now looking at the numbers, would that be considered a Bail out or an Investment, It's in the interest of the Govt to make sure the youngsters get a good college education, that increase their earning power and more tax revenue to the GOVT.

Over all if you get a $5,000 govt grant to go to school, in the 1st year of work alone the govt already got the money back, let alone that higher taxes bracket payment IT"S FOR THE REST OF YOUR WORKING LIFE,

As your earning increased over the years more taxes go to the system.

SO WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED A GVT BAIL OUT?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

you're the first to use the expression 'bailout' in this thread.

[almaty 19]

i pay taxes..i assume that is my personal handout to the government

[symbiosis 0]

Haven't been out of work for a single day (knock on wood), paid everything. Never collected a cent.

Voting for Obama

[one...two...tree 2,762]

i pay taxes..i assume that is my personal handout to the government

Amen, brother.

[peejay 327]

I couldn't participate in the poll because I'm an independent voter. I'm also an independent person. I've never took a red cent from the government of Uncle Sugar. I've paid more in than I ever got out. Ditto for my parents, grandparents, etc.

No freeloaders or bums in my lineage.

Does it bother you that others that belong to your car, life and health insurance, have tapped into the coffers more than what they've paid into it? Are you going to turn away your Medicaid and Social Security benefits when you reach qualifying age?

The bigger question is whether there will be any Medicaid or Social Security left when I qualify. In the mean time I work on the assumption that it won't be and plan my life accordingly. In other words...I feather my own nest with the fruits of my own labor realizing that to depend on oneself is far better than to solely put my fate in the hands of the government. Government ain't the answer...it's nothing but a big question.

Ever hear of the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper? I'm an ant...not a grasshopper.

As far as my car, life and health insurance...I voluntarily pay into it and expect it to be run in a competent manner so that it is there when needed. I have no qualms about filing a claim and that is not a handout. The government is not run on the same premise as the private sector. Government is incompetently run and contributions are hardly voluntary.

If you're an ant, then why buy insurance of any kind, peejay?

Unemployment insurance works exactly the same way your medical or car insurance works...it's there when you need it. You can't call one a hand-out without logically calling the other the same.

Ha! Are you naive or what?

Private insurers couldn't even start to get away with the incompetence of government programs. Any money you end up coughing up to Uncle Sugar is a tax anyway you slice it. In case you don't know the difference...one is a premium and the other is a tax. Uncle Sugar can call it what he wants, but when it goes into the treasury the politicians can use (misuse) it any way they see fit. Ever heard of all the IOU's in the Social Security fund? Look at the mess in Medicare/Medicaid.

Sure I insure my house. If you want to depend on FEMA...that is your foolish perogative. Crash your car into a tree and see if Uncle Sugar buys a new one for you. Piss away all your money all your life and see if Uncle Sugar takes real good care of you in old age with all the budget deficits we are running. Take care of your own business or take your chances. I take care of my own business as best as I can because I like to control my own destiny. Only a fool or an idiot depends on Uncle Sugar as their salvation in life.

Not to say that private insurers shouldn't be regulated, but I'll take a well regulated private insurer over government if and when possible.

It's the same concept, peejay. You can gripe all you want about government bureaucracy and of course we could bring up the bureaucracy of insurance companies as well, but that doesn't change the the fact that they both are built on the notion that the benefit is there when you need it, and both depend on a pool of people paying into it. One is no more or less a hand out than the other and you are no more or less a moocher if you use either source when you need it.

The same? Bullshit! When government takes money out your pocket involuntarily it is a tax. And you have little to no control how and what it is spent on. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!